More than 70,000 Elvis Presley fans are flocking to Graceland to commemorate the 35th anniversary of the death of the man known as 'The King Of Rock 'n' Roll'.

In the culmination of the annual Elvis Week, there will be a 6pm-8am candlelight vigil tonight at Graceland's gates, followed by a special concert with surviving members of Presley's band, including Bobby Wood, in a 1,200-seat air conditioned tent. There will be video footage of Elvis singing and Presley's widow Priscilla and daughter Lisa Marie Presley will be taking part.

Presley died at the age of 42 from a heart attack on Tuesday August 16th 1977.

In line with the digital age, fans in his Memphis home can either light real wax candles or switch on virtual candles on a special Elvis Week smartphone app.

Songwriter Mike Stoller who, with the late Jerry Leiber, wrote some of Presley's greatest songs, including Hound Dog and Jailhouse Rock, has been a guest at Elvis Week. He recalled that the singer made 26 takes of Jailhouse Rock before deciding they had nailed it on the ninth take. Stoller recalled: "He kept saying, 'I think I can do it better.' Finally he said, 'Where's that one that you liked?' We went back and played it and he said, 'Yeah, that's it, that's cool.'

The memorial gathering will also be attended by thousands of Elvis tribute artists (they don't like to be called Elvis Impersonators), many of whom have been taking part in the sixth annual Ultimate Elvis Tribute Artist Contest. Most - including the women - will be sporting Elvis's famous 1970s sideburns (below, one group in Memphis this week).

Also at Graceland will be most presidents of Elvis Presley fan clubs from all over the world - the youngest of whom is 13-year-old Isabella Scott, born 22 years after the singer's death.

The anniversary has also been the excuse for a new flood of memorabilia and merchandise. Carol Butler, vice president for international licensing, revealed a Mr Potato Head character resembling Presley in his 'Aloha from Hawaii' period this week.

There has also been an auction this week in Memphis of Presley artifacts, including a gold Longines watch, a gift from his manager Colonel Tom Parker, which sold for £10,380 and a Colt Python double-action revolver Presley used for target practice in the backyard of Graceland, which went for £8775. The extent of the Presley mania was demonstrated in the fact that an empty plastic bottle of tetracycline, an antibiotic, prescribed to Presley in 1974, sold for £3510.

Perhaps it's just better to put on some of those wonderful Elvis Sun Session recordings and remember the musician with such a lovely voice. As Joe Guercio, Presley's musical director from 1970 until the star's death, said: "Elvis is fan-driven and there are not a lot of people in show business who are fan-driven."